School texts parents `Your child is a piece of s**t` in China

Beijing: More than 600 parents in China`s eastern Zhejiang province were shocked and furious to receive a text message from their children`s school calling pupils "a piece of s**t."

Xin Ou primary school sent out a mass text message to Wenzhou parents on Tuesday that said "this student is basically a stupid piece of s**t, how was s/he ever born?" Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post quoted local Chinese media as saying.

Angry parents asked school officials for an explanation.

A school spokesperson said the message was the result of a software malfunction.

The school had been using a software platform named "Education Baby" that allowed teachers to text parents about students` performances.

The system collapsed on Tuesday.

Someone could have hacked into the system to send the malicious message, the spokesperson said.

The school has issued a letter of apology to parents, who are still waiting for the results of the police investigation.

"I actually think this is what some teachers truly believe," said a netizen sarcastically on China`s micro-blogging service Sina Weibo.

"The school needs to stop blaming others and face its own mistakes," said another Weibo user.